Unions seek to mend Keystone XL rift

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120312/NEWS01/703129927#unions-seek-to-mend-keystone-xl-rift

Published Monday March 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unions may be united in working to re-elect President Barack Obama, but their leaders also are trying to repair bitter divisions over his rejection of an oil pipeline from Canada to Texas.

Trade unions representing workers who stand to benefit from thousands of new construction jobs from the Keystone XL pipeline are furious at other unions that joined environmentalists in opposing the project.

AFL-CIO leaders hope to smooth tensions at their executive council's annual winter meeting, which starts Monday in Orlando, Fla.

The rift reflects a decades-old conflict between union leaders who believe creating jobs is paramount and others who are more strongly aligned with progressive groups on environmental and social causes.

FULL story at link.